A Happily Ever After

Chapter Twenty-Four

New book cover made by Lience Tili on Facebook. Thank you!

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LIAM

Hindi pa kami halos tuluyang nakakapasok sa loob ay nakita ko na agad ang kalaban.

The giant is as high as a two-story building with thick skin glistening under the brilliance of a big bonfire. It is not wearing any gigantic shirt, so its deep scars and blemishes are very obvious, making him more terrifying. Its disheveled blonde hair resembles a bird's nest from the light of the enormous fire.

Inside the cave, square shaped cloths are hanging across the rocky ceiling like a bunch of banners. On the other side of the cave wall, woods that are as big as a tree branch are all tied together which are arranged to create a spatula hanger. The whole place seems to serve as a proper kitchen.

I immediately spotted a figure of a young boy, slouched over inside of a gigantic cage. Maingay ang bawat galaw ng higante dahil nag-eecho din iyon, pero hindi ako pwede magkakamali kung sasabihin kong umiiyak siya doon.

All six of us are gathered together under the dark shadows of the rocks, weapons drawn, but not making any attempts to move. Hindi ko sila masisi. Maliliit lamang kami, paano naman namin mahaharap ang higante iyon?

"Got any recommendations?" Bulong ko at binasag ang katahimikan namin. "On how to face the giant and save the boy?"

"We can't fight that giant." Bulong pabalik ni Jessa. "But we can do something about the boy."

"May sinabi ba si Jarith patungkol sa higanteng 'yan?" Tanong ni Stefan.

Lumingon si Jonah at bumulong. "Wala siyang sinabi. Lahat daw kasi ng mga pumunta dito ay hindi na nakabalik para magbigay ng mga kwento."

Nanginig ulit ako sa pwesto, pero hindi na ako pwede mag-back out. Ako ang nagmagaling na sumugod dito. What if Jessa had been right? What if we should just go and pass by?

May isang higanteng lamesa kaming matatanaw mula dito sa pwesto namin, at sa gilid nun, ay may kung anong nakaipon. Tumindi ang hawak ko sa aking bow nang unti unti kong naaninag iyon mula sa ilaw ng malaking apoy.

It's the numerous bodies of children, stacked up from each other. All of the bodies are lifelessly draping to each other like peels of banana. Nangilabot ako sa pwesto ko sa aking natanaw. Jesus Christ, the children all look dead!

Muli kong binaling ang tingin sa batang nasa kulungan. I cannot process the fear the child is probably facing right now. That is why we have to save the boy!

"The gate of the cage is facing backwards from the view of the giant." Tinuro ni Christopher ang kulungan. At tama siya. Katabi lang ng bata ang gate na maaring mabuksan. "All we have to do is make a plan on how to climb that enormous as fuck table and quietly open the gate."

"Only three people have to do it." Dugtong ni Jessa na tinanguan ni Stefan. "The rest have to keep watch of the giant, and I don't know, distract him from the cage?"

"I'll do the distracting part." Tinaas ni Selene ang kamay. "I'm annoying enough for that."

"Damn right." Tugon ni Christopher. Siniko siya ni Jonah.

"Obviously, ako na dun sa bata." Ako naman na ang nagsalita. "Ako, Jessa, and Christopher. How about that?"

Jessa gave me a slightly disgruntled look, but she immediately nodded before I could even question her. "Sounds like a plan. Let's do it as swiftly as possible and get out of this filthy place."